+1 @dagosa
So...we do need to see a realization that accidents are avoidable MOST of the time. But, we need an acknowledgement that doing everything perfectly NEVER makes you immune to them. This is a great thread and there are good reponses. But absolutes always bring disagreements as they well should.
Well said. I totally agree.
Don’t know what there are for hills in Texas but from Whichita Falls to Dallas when I was there, I did see one knoll.
People who’s impression of Texas is based on a visit to Wichita Falls and Dallas remind me of the fable of the blind men and the elephant.
We have a half mile long 10% grade on RM2222 and some of the back roads along the lake are even steeper.
In my 30 plus years of commuting, there have been a few challenging times. One that comes to mind a few years ago still scares me. I left work early to try and beat the storm home. As it was I ran right into it, dumping about a foot in a couple hours. I exited the freeway and intended to park for a while waiting for the plow but alas, there was no where to park or pull off, so I continued to the reasonably adjacent old highway, to head to the next exit with a truck stop, 15 miles away. You couldn’t see hardly, and couldn’t stop anywhere, and couldn’t stop in the middle of the road, so just had to keep going about 20 mph so you wouldn’t get stuck. Really, I had my side window down and the only way I could tell where I was on the road was by watching the weeds in the ditch and the occassional on-coming car. I truly expected to spend the night in the car if there was any place to pull off without getting hit. I kept on going and finally came to the truck stop. About an hour later the plows came through so got the final ten miles home. Sometimes you just get into these situations and there is not much you can do except make the best of it.
Good point.
@BLE
Thanks for the education… I know there are hills elsewhere in Texas. But, like i said. I doubt a typical Texas driver perhaps as braggadocious as you who thinks he can negotiate snow with the ease, can do so in hilly areas without a whimper because they drove in snow how many times ? This too reminds me of " the fable of the blind man and the elephant. " “Anyone can drive in snow” My manners keep me from replying to that statement…this way, " you have to be s…iny me". That’s like me saying, “anyone can ride a horse”, and that’s probably easier. ;=) And all of this from a resident from a state whose greatest average snow fall of any city is what…5 inches ?
When you say “We can drive in snow”, I guess you are implying all Texans. I didn’t know that being a Texas native ment driving in snow was in your genes. Learn something new everyday. My good friends who vacation up here from Texas missed out on that gene. They make no bones about it. Driving in snow concerns them as much as I’m concerned about the rattle snakes you have. If you reply, keep it funny…;=)
I had plenty of practice on muddy dirt roads. Wet clay = slippery slime.
Also, I’m more familiar with snow than you might think.
Great photo…now where in Texas is that?
http://www.skitexas.com/texas_ski_areas.shtml
Btw, have done off road mudding to. Snow it isn’t .
Well mud is one thing, snow is another, but blowing snow where you can’t see is something else again.
dagosa Senior Grease Monkey .7:34PM edited 7:38PM
Great photo…now where in Texas is that?
Believe it or not, I’ve been to places other than Texas.
I took that picture at the summit of the Great Western lift at the Brighton ski resort close to SLC, Utah.
Looks like a wonderful ski junket. The scenery is magnificent. I would fall every 100 yds just looking around. The reference was how the GREAT state of Texas at one time included those other snow areas. So, technically, you can ski Texas ( the way it used to be) in those other states.
The only time I had an accident due to road conditions was coming home from my French class at the local college and deciding on a short cut, which was a 2 lane blacktop coated with late March sleet. I stayed below 30 mph and slowed down for a left bend in the road and went into a spin.
My snow tires had well worn treads and no traction on ice. I would have landed harmlessly in the ditch, except that the car slid sideways into a large stone pillar beside the local golf course entry.
My 1966 Malibu was totalled with only 98,000 miles on it. The cop who I called to report the accident felt sorry for me and wrote it up as “due to road conditions”. He had trouble walking himself. I was wearing my seat belt (no shoulder harness then) but my projector and slides were all over the back of the car due to the impact.
Back in 1966, even new snow tires had poor ice traction of they didn’t have studs. Old tech snow tires are just " mud and snow tires " pre drilled for studs. You make them winter tires when you install the studs. Ice performance was only a little better if at all then regular tires when studs were not installed.
I’ve slid off the road twice in over 45 years of driving.
The first time was in 1974. I was approaching my exit in a snowstorm, some distance behind the plow. The plow left a small bank blocking the exit. I tried to bust over it, but it spun the car around. I was not gong fast.
The second was at about 4AM going about 45mph on a divided highway, nobody else around…and no lights. I hit “black ice”. The spin was very slow, as if I’d entered the “Twilight Zone”, and I slid off the road. The next car up was a state cop, and he almost followed my exact path.
Rick, get off your judgemental “high horse”. Realize that sometimes stuff happens. Every problem in the world is not because everyone is driving faster than you. Sorry, but after numerous similar threads, I had to say my piece. I’m sure you’re a good guy, but you’re fixated on this “everyone else speeds and they’re all criminals” issue and your theme is getting old.
"I’ve slid off the road twice in 45 years of driving "
I go off the road at least once every 45 days, exclusively within a mile of home though. I guess it comes with age.
I hate to say this but I have never slid off the road yet. I expect to sometime but I don’t have too many years yet to get it accomplished. Of course most of my roads are gentle hills and flat, not like Dagosa’s steep mountain roads. Guess that’s where a winch on the front end helps.
Incidently, this is what the Minnesota Highway Patrol reported yesterday: As many as 20 vehicles blocked eastbound lanes of a highway between Mankato and North Mankato in a pileup blamed on drivers going too fast for icy conditions.
We had light snow and blowing yesterday and was very slick, plus that stretch of road is a very steep 4 lane divided highway with a river at the bottom. Luckily no one went into the river.
Bing, here in New Hampshire the roads are all hills and curves. Even the highways. I’ve seen the highways get so bad in a winter storm that people stopped in the toll line were unable to get rolling again. The line was on a modest incline and sheer, slick ice formed right under the tires. Having commuted for many. many years, I’ve seen it often.
I’ve read about a number of multicar pileups in storms this winter. It’s been a rough winter. And it ain’t over.
I also read during the “arctic vortex” that a town in upstate Minnesota dropped to -47F ambient, a new Minnesota record. You guys have flat, straight highways, but you’ve had a rough winter.
The following is an editorial about raising speed limits in your state to 70mph.
concordmonitor.com/home/9965114-95/editorial-first-lets-see-how-70-mph-on-i-93-goes
"Should New Hampshire raise the speed limit along most of Interstate 89 to 70 miles per hour?
The matter has been debated repeatedly over the years. Our view has long been that for reasons of public safety, not to mention reducing energy consumption and combating pollution and climate change, the answer should be no. In 2014, our message to state lawmakers will be slightly different: Wait and see.
At issue is yet another new bill to raise the speed limit. But lawmakers took a big step in that direction just this past year. Signed by Gov. Maggie Hassan, the measure raising the speed limit on Interstate 93 north of Concord will take effect Wednesday.
Before the Legislature turns its attention to I-89, why not see what happens on I-93? A little information will go a long way toward helping lawmakers make a good decision.
This time of year – when the state highways can turn treacherous in a matter of minutes, and the Department of Transportation is already fretting that without more money it will be unable to keep the roads as clear as motorists demand – arguments in favor of driving faster can sound like madness. But in general, proponents say that since most drivers already go 70 mph, the law should be changed to recognize that reality; that’s the argument that won the day when lawmakers considered I-93.
Trouble is, if the state raises the speed limit to 70, those same drivers are likely to push it to 75 or 80 mph – too fast when drivers are inexperienced, elderly or, say, talking on cell phones, illegally texting, or otherwise distracting themselves from the task at hand.
Estimating vehicle stopping distances at different speeds is a crapshoot, given variables like road, tire and brake condition, vehicle weight and driver reaction time. But at 65 mph, coming to a full stop after noticing danger takes the length of a football field and more – 344 feet on a dry surface and 399 on a wet one, according to one government study. Increase the speed to 70 mph, and those distances grow by about 50 feet.
In other words, the chance of an accident increases.
The state of Iowa increased the speed limit on its rural interstates to 70 mph in 2005. The number of drivers exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph decreased by more than 50 percent, but the number of serious crashes increased by about one-third and the number of serious cross-median crashes increased by 80 percent.""
So there you have it Mike. If they raise the speed to 70mph, you will likely see an increase in serious crashes, I can see this speed limit business really bothers you, I am calling a law breaker a lawbreaker. Nothing less, nothing more. I am sorry if this bothers you, It is something I am passionate about and will argue the point. Are there any other laws you feel are ok to break?
I am also a big advocate of lower speed limits. Having said that, north of Oldtown in Maine on I95 where the north and south bound lanes are separated by Forrest in most places and the off/ on ramps occur no more then once every twenty miles or so, they have increased the speed limit from 65 to 75 mph. This happened nearly a year ago and ever time I travel there, I drive 75 and I am the fastest car on the road. Nothing has changed. I suspect that a few do fly, but generally, Mainers do a good job driving according to conditions. Different then Mass drivers who drive for spite, New Hampshire drivers seem to be more conservative like Mainiacs . I lay it to the asinine road system in Mass that breeds them.
The real problem IMHO, are the 55 mph undivided highways. Undivided highways with open access should be 45 moh MAX ! That’s my beef and not interstates.
IMHO there are such great variences in driving conditions on any category of road that it’s unrealistic to make a blanket statement applying to all roads. Rt 2 west of Worcester, for example, is a divided limited access highway that’s smooth, flat, in excellent condition, well within its designed capacity (low traffic count), and elevated with excellent visibility. In the summer it’s perfectly safe for 70-75 mph. Yet it’s 55mph, just as it was before it was rebuilt. Rt 2 east of Worchester is divided and limited access, but the visibility and condition is much worse than the west end. It’s really a 1950s design. In spots it’s not worthy of 65mph.
The Everett Turnpike in NH is a limited access divided highway throughout its length. Through Nashua it’s 3 lanes each way, yet it’s so busy that it may not be good for even 65mph. North of Nashua it’s much safer for even 70mph.
All of these roads need to be traveled very slowly and carefully in the winter. You basically have two choices; go slow or go in the ditch. The posted limit becomes irrelevant. I commuted for many years on both, so I’ve driven them in all conditions.
Today, NJ & NY are experiencing a snow storm of moderate proportions, and–as usual–the TV stations are treating it as the approach of the apocalypse. Reporters are out on the roads, showing us views of traffic moving slowly on slick surfaces (yawn!) and interviewing drivers to confirm that the roads are slippery.
However, there is the occasional opportunity for some comic relief, even if it was not intended.
One of the motorists interviewed while sitting in his car had just rear-ended another car a few miles back, and although the damage to his Hyundai Sonata was not that bad, it was obvious that he had hit something.
The reporter (Ms. Obvious) asked this young guy, “So…are the roads slippery?”.
His response was…“Yeah it is very slippery. I skidded into the car in front of me even though I pulled on the emergency brake as hard as I could”.
The moral of the story is that some people just shouldn’t be driving a car…